Knock Three Times
by Cheryl Dyson
Summary: When Teddy Lupin is fifteen, he encounters the girl of his dreams, but she barely acknowledges his existence… until seven years later when they meet again. Cross-gen, het, MATURE ADULT CONTENT.
1. Chapter 1

I know, it's a miracle, but this is a het story. There aren't many het couples I love in HP, but THIS ONE IS SPECIAL. It came up as a prompt in the recent Teddy Fest on Livejournal and I couldn't pass it up. The story pretty much wrote itself. Anyway, even if no one else read it, I LOVE THIS STORY. :D

***** ONE *****

Teddy Lupin met his first crush when he was fifteen years old. He had admired girls before that, of course, since only complete wankers felt no attraction to anyone by the time they were that age. He even had something of a girlfriend at the time. But he had never felt anything quite so startlingly intense-rather like a punch to the gut-as when he walked up the steps and nearly bowled her over.

She was amazing. Her brown eyes seemed to drill into his very soul, stripping away his secrets and baring his innermost desires. He stared into them for a full fifteen seconds before his gaze fell, only to light on something even more astounding-her cleavage.

Teddy's jaw gaped open and he tried desperately to drag his eyes elsewhere, but they were so amazingly full and perfect and… _there_, swelling nearly out of the tight, emerald green bodice that tried to contain them.

"If you plan to drool on those, can you give me some warning so I can grab a flannel?" she asked in a dry tone and Teddy wrenched his gaze away, stammering.

She stepped around him as he attempted to stutter out an apology, although his vocal cords seemed unable to connect to his brain. Her robes rustled as she moved and her full lips curved as she turned her head to look back at him. His heart nearly stopped when she gave him a wink.

Teddy stared after her, earning a glare from Professor Susscrofa, who accompanied her, yammering in her delicate ear. Teddy wanted to cringe. Susscrofa quite resembled a warthog and his hairy eyebrows were adorned with random long hairs that stuck out at odd angles. His meaty hand was wrapped around the elbow of Teddy's new object de amour, guiding her down the stairs.

"…our students are not normally so rude, Ms Parkinson, and I'm sure Teddy is on his way to class, are you not, _Mr Lupin_?" Susscrofa's voice was a cross between a bellow and a sneer. He was the head of Hufflepuff house and had never liked Teddy.

"Ms Parkinson," Teddy said on a breath, earning a jab from Robin.

"Oi, Teddy, come back to earth."

"Did you see her?" Teddy asked, watching the sway of Ms Parkinson's hips as she descended the stairs and rounded the corner. She never looked back.

"Fab tits, for a bird her age," Robin commented and dragged at his arm.

Teddy gave him an affronted look. "She's not old!"

Robin rolled his eyes. "Probably over thirty. And that's old, mate. Manda Glasgow has tits as nice as hers."

Teddy grimaced. Manda Glasgow might have a great rack, but she had eyes like a bovine and a habit of chewing gum that only increased her resemblance to a farm-bred heifer. She was nothing at all like the amazing Ms Parkinson, with her flawless skin, pouty lips, smouldering eyes, and-

Teddy heaved a smitten sigh and hurried after Robin. Chances were he would never see the fabulous Ms Parkinson again.

******

But Teddy did see Ms Parkinson again. Quite frequently, in fact. The school was planning a huge event for the fifteenth anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. Ms Parkinson (whose first name, he discovered, was _Pansy_, like the beautiful flower) had the job of planning much of the event as some sort of Ministry liaison. Teddy hadn't paid much attention to the specifics; he was simply happy that she was frequently visible to his adoring gaze.

To Teddy's dismay, Pansy barely acknowledged his existence. Several students had been assigned to provide Ms Parkinson with whatever she needed. Teddy's fevered mind had concocted many fantasies in which Pansy _needed_ many things from Teddy, including kisses, soft touches, and declarations of love. Unfortunately, in reality, she only ever seemed to need manual labour.

"Move that shelf to the right about six inches," she said, cocking her head.

Teddy strained his muscles and wondered if it would be too obvious if he took off his shirt. Thanks to his metamorphmagus abilities, he could enlarge his muscles at will, so he didn't have to appear as a scrawny teenager. He frequently imagined himself going to her wearing the body of an older man, fooling her into believing he was of age...

Teddy sighed. But that would be dishonest and he refused to sully the purity of his love with such a massive lie. Eventually, the truth would come out and he would be exposed as a charlatan.

"There!" she exclaimed. "It's perfect, Tommy. Thank you for your help."

He turned to look at her, dejected. "Teddy," he corrected for the third time. Merlin, she could not even remember his name.

Pansy smiled at him absently and gave his head a pat. Her eyes were on the wall, no doubt already plotting the position of the next fixture that Teddy would have to manhandle into place. "Yes, dear. Teddy. Can you go fetch the fabric samples I left on the table over there? I need to determine which will look best next to this..."

Teddy heaved a long-suffering sigh and went to do her bidding.

******

Teddy researched everything he could about Pansy Parkinson. He discovered that she had once gone to Hogwarts, had been sorted into Slytherin, and had been "a very average student" according to Headmistress McGonagall. Teddy was glad to hear it, because he was a very average student, himself.

His godfather was less flattering when Teddy went home for the holidays and broached the subject.

"Pansy Parkinson?" Harry seemed to recoil for a moment and then he snorted before looking at Auntie Hermione. "What's she up to now? At Hogwarts?"

"Probably trying to rise up the next Dark Lord," she replied.

She and Uncle Harry burst into amused snickers, but Teddy did not find it laughable at all. He had seen Pansy do nothing that even hinted of evil. She was beautiful and perfect and smelled of sugar biscuits. He decided they were simply biased against Slytherins, to which he could slightly relate, since the Slytherins in his year were largely unbearable, but he was willing to give Pansy the benefit of the doubt. She was an adult and any childish transgressions she had committed should have been long forgotten.

Congratulating himself on such a mature thought, Teddy set about thinking up ways to get Pansy to notice him.

******

All of Teddy's methods of getting Pansy's attention failed spectacularly. She seemed to have eyes only for her work, and when the big event came the Great Hall looked spectacular, draped in the colours of all four Houses, with magical sparklers shooting off fireworks that evolved into nebulous scenes from the war, guaranteed to leave war veterans sobbing into their butterbeer.

Of course, it all paled next to the vision that was Pansy. Her dark hair was upswept and held together with sparkling green combs and two glowing fairies. Her robes were also green, which Teddy had noted was her favourite colour, and clung tightly to her voluptuous curves. Emeralds glittered at her neck and wrist, and her smile shone brighter than them all. Teddy ached at the very sight of her.

Visiting dignitaries and Ministry officials crowded the Great Hall. There had been a fancy ceremony and feast that included the Hogwarts students earlier in the day, but after curfew only the adults and the seventh-year students remained, to dance and drink and have maudlin chats, mostly reminiscences about the war. It was frightfully boring.

Teddy was only allowed to view it because he had borrowed Harry's invisibility cloak-possibly without permission-and huddled in an out-of-the-way corner to observe Pansy. He wished he had gone to bed with the other students when he saw Pansy on the arm of a handsome blond-haired wizard. She laughed at him with a familiarity that made Teddy's heart clench, leaning close enough to kiss.

When she strode onto the dance floor with the man, it was more than Teddy could bear. Devastated, he fled the room to nurse his broken heart.

He had to face it. Pansy Parkinson was a woman of the world and he was just a silly student harbouring a crush. He had to get over her. Two days later she was gone from Hogwarts, as though she had never entered it and disrupted Teddy's life. He tried to forget her, a vow made easier by the fact that he didn't see her again for seven long years…

~TBC~


	2. Chapter 2

Teddy slung the last trunk onto the floor and sprawled on his bed. Merlin, moving was a hassle, but hopefully he wouldn't have to do it anymore for quite some time. He was ready to settle for a bit and the location was brilliant, especially considering it catered to wizards, so there wouldn't be a taboo on using magic like the last two places he had lived.

Still, living among Muggles had been a learning experience and it had been to his benefit. Now he was back and ready to make a name for himself, one that would do his godfather and grandmother proud.

Robin appeared in the doorway holding a box of noodles that he poked at with a pair of wooden chopsticks. "I brought takeaway. Figured you wouldn't feel like cooking yet."

Teddy groaned. "You're a peach, Robbie. But I'm too tired to even fetch it."

Robin obligingly Levitated a second box to Teddy, who found the strength to sit up and poke through into the curry scented meat and veg chunks. He wasn't sure he would have the energy to chew, but once he put a bite into his mouth the flavours woke him up enough to down the rest.

"Thanks for helping, Robbie."

His friend slumped to the floor, using a wall for a backrest. Teddy had limited furnishings. A bed, three trunks, a tiny round table, and two folding chairs. The table and chairs were mimicking a dining set in the other room.

"No problem, T. You're helping me move next month, remember?" Robin's grin was borderline evil, but Teddy couldn't even bitch because Robin had spent the entire weekend helping him shrink and pack items before moving them from his old flat in Brighton to his new place in Wandsworth, plus a quick trip to his grandmother's to collect some old things he'd left there.

"Yeah. Great reminder. You staying?"

Robin groaned. "Much as I hate to Disapparate when I'm this tired, I hate sleeping on the ruddy floor even more."

"Public Floo is downstairs."

Robin considered it and then nodded. "Right. Good idea." He pulled his legs beneath him and got to his feet. "Night, then."

"Night. And thanks again."

Robin let himself out and Teddy stirred long enough to Vanish the empty cartons and kick off his jeans. He climbed between the sheets and was asleep before he could decide whether his new pillow was crap or not.

ooOoo

A loud banging roused Teddy from his blissful sleep. He fumbled for his wand, half-sitting up in a panic, disoriented and alarmed. His wand was nowhere to be found and after a moment he remembered where he was.

The banging came from the wall beyond his headboard. A very rhythmic thumping sound was accompanied by what sounded like feminine cries of bliss.

"Oh fucking great," Teddy muttered. "Loud neighbours."

He sprawled back over his pillow and tried to drift off, but the pounding sounds were too loud and annoying, even though the woman's shouts were somewhat entertaining. He couldn't quite make out her words, but she seemed quite vocal.

Teddy yawned and then scowled after a particularly loud thump sent half a stack of unbalanced books tumbling to the ground. "That's it!"

He got to his knees on the bed and balled up his fist before hammering loudly on the wall. "Quiet down in there! Some of us are trying to sleep and it's bloody…" He searched again for his wand to cast a _Lumos_, but then continued lamely, "…_early_!"

The noise ceased immediately and Teddy nodded, satisfied, and tucked himself back into bed once more. He had nearly drifted off to sleep when it started up again, louder than before. _Fucking hell_. His new neighbours were tosspots. That figured. He would have to talk to the manager tomorrow and hopefully move to a new flat elsewhere in the building. Either that or he might have to deal with neighbourly enmity for months to come. Both prospects were less than pleasing in the middle of the night.

He pulled his pillow over his head and tried to go back to sleep.

ooOoo

Teddy had to rise early the next morning in order to attend to his job. Concentrating was difficult and he found himself yawning several times during the day. He petulantly blamed his neighbours for keeping him up half the night with their vigorous sexual escapades. The fact that he hadn't been laid in what seemed eternity made it even worse.

His day was longer than expected, which always seemed to happen when one was exhausted and simply wanted it to be over. By the time he arrived home, he was knackered and he knew he didn't have the energy to see the manager about changing flats. He could only hope his rambunctious neighbours did not have a daily sex regimen.

To his surprise, there was a note on his door, held with a Sticking Charm. He pulled it away and examined the folded bit of parchment. There was no inscription. He slipped a finger into the fold to open it, but before he could do so, the door next to his opened, ostensibly to disclose one of his rude neighbours.

His jaw gaped nearly to the floor at the sight that met his eyes.

"Oh, good," she said. "I see you got my note. I meant to tell you in person, but you've been gone all day." Her chocolate-coloured eyes appraised him as she stepped forward and plucked the paper from his nerveless fingers. "But now that I've got a look at you, I need to revise it a bit."

She flipped open the parchment and tapped it with her wand before closing the note and handing it back. Teddy swallowed as he took it. Her lips curved in a flirtatious smile and then she turned and disappeared back into her flat. The door shut behind her, leaving Teddy to stare at it for long moments, trying to process the astounding fact that his new neighbour was none other than Pansy Parkinson, his childhood crush.

Eventually, he roused himself, opened the door to his flat, and made it inside. He sprawled on one of the folding chairs and flipped open the note, trying to choke down the butterflies in his stomach.

_Do not knock on my bedroom wall and interrupt my sexual gratification again unless you are willing to take the place of my current paramour. And if you are, knock three times… if you think you have the stamina. _

Teddy read the words six times. Merlin. _If you think you have the stamina. _

He pushed himself to his feet and readied himself for bed. Exhausted though he was, he lay on the mattress and stared at the ceiling, wondering if she now slept on the other side of the wall. He wondered what she wore to bed. If anything. Only last night, she had been… Fuck, some extraordinarily lucky man had been banging her into the wall, causing her to utter those sounds, noises Teddy had heard only in his fevered dreams. He felt a spike of jealousy that hadn't plagued him in years. He wondered what had happened to the blond man she had entertained at Hogwarts on the night she had unwittingly crushed Teddy's heart. _Current paramour_, she had said, which seemed to deny the presence of anyone permanent in her life.

Bloody hell, how could she stay so amazingly attractive after all this time? She looked exactly as she had when Teddy had first laid eyes on her. The same curves, the dark hair cut in an attractive bob, the same liquid chocolate eyes… Teddy swallowed hard and realised he would have to stay well away from her allure. It would be far too easy to fall prey to her charms and he knew it would only end in heartbreak. His own.

His resolve lasted two days.

ooOoo

Teddy opened the door to the knock and was surprised to see Pansy's lovely face.

"Hello, darling neighbour. I am making margaritas and have apparently run out of salt. Might you have some I can borrow?" she asked. Her eyes slid over him in a manner that made his blood feel twenty degrees warmer.

"Yeah," he said. "Um… hold on."

He turned and walked to the kitchen area, which was visible from the doorway, since his flat contained only two rooms plus a tiny bathroom. She stepped inside as he opened a cabinet and located the box of salt. He frowned as he wondered what to pour it into, since the only dishes he'd managed to unpack were two plates, a set of glasses, and a drawer full of utensils.

He glanced over to see her in the centre of the living room, looking around in amusement. "Are you planning to acquire more furnishings, or do you prefer the Spartan look?" she asked.

Teddy flushed, knowing his domicile most likely seemed the worst sort of bachelor flat. "Of course," he said, rather more sharply than intended. "I need to find a couch and some decent sitting chairs. I have artwork… somewhere."

She nodded. "Good to know. I was afraid you might be the monkish type." As she spoke, she sauntered closer. She wore a tight black skirt that wasn't really terribly short, falling to just above her knees, but combined with the green silk top she wore, it seemed far sexier than it was. Or perhaps Teddy was just channelling his old feelings of teenaged lust.

Pansy plucked the box out of his hands. "I'll just use what I need and bring the rest back, hmmm?"

"Yeah, okay," Teddy said, nearly choking on her nearness and, oh Merlin, her perfume. The familiar scent, more than anything previously, brought back a rush of emotion that made his knees feel weak. His heart clenched as he realised he was utterly fucked. He would have to move away. Preferably to a different continent.

Helplessly, he watched her hips sway as she made her way back to the door, where she paused. "Would you like to come over for a drink? I have empanadas, which is why margaritas were a necessity."

Teddy nodded, even though more intelligent portions of his brain were screaming that it was a very, very bad idea. He felt like an automaton as he followed her.

It was a worse idea than he had imagined. Her flat was tastefully furnished in rich dark wood and patterned shades of green. Teddy stopped short at the sight of a man lounging on the sofa. He gave Teddy a questioning stare over the rim of his glass while sipping at the greenish liquid. The man wasn't blond, even though Teddy was too mortified at seeing him there at all to feel any sort of relief.

"Con," Pansy's voice was chastising, "You were supposed to wait for the salt."

"Are you the salt boy?" the man asked. Teddy thought he looked something like a panther. Sleek, dark, and somewhat dangerous.

"This is my new neighbour," Pansy said. She blinked for a moment and then stared at him. Teddy realized she had no memory of him at all and had no idea about his name, not that she'd had much luck remembering it back at Hogwarts.

"Teddy," he supplied.

"Teddy," she repeated. "Teddy, this is Con. Short for Conner." She paused. "Or is it Conrad?"

The man shot her a look of disgust. "It's Connelly."

She smirked and poured a generous amount of tequila into a pitcher of juice. "Oh, that's right. How silly of me to have forgotten."

Teddy felt slightly better hearing that. At least he wasn't the only one to suffer Pansy's inability to recall names.

She blended the pitcher with a flick of her wand and then poured Teddy's salt onto a plate before wetting the rims of two hefty glasses and dipping them in the salt. Another snap of her wand sent the liquid spiralling into the glasses from the pitcher without spilling a drop.

"Empanada?" she asked, handing Teddy a glass and nodding her head toward a tray of pastries on the counter.

Teddy took a gulp and then shook his head, far too nervous to eat. Pansy smiled at him and then said, "Have a seat, Teddy." She motioned in the direction of the couch where Connelly sat. Thankfully, there were several chairs in the room, so Teddy settled for seating himself in the one farthest from Connelly.

"You the one banged on the wall a couple days ago?" Connelly asked. His voice had a bit of a brogue to it. Teddy pegged him for Scottish.

Teddy flushed and nodded. "Yeah, I was moving all day. Tired," he said lamely.

Pansy sat down in another chair, not next to Connelly, Teddy noted. She drew her legs up under herself, a movement that caused her skirt to expose quite a lot of her smooth thighs. Teddy looked around the flat and buried his face in his glass. His eyes narrowed and he realised the place had to be magically enlarged, since it looked three times bigger than his flat, and yet took up the same space from the outside. He wondered if she was skilled enough to perform such magic herself, or if she had contracted outsiders to do it.

"Pans gets a bit wild in the sack," Connelly said and chuckled.

Teddy looked at her, to find her gaze locked on him instead of Connelly. Her expression was thoughtful. "You look familiar to me. What's your last name, Teddy?"

Teddy swallowed his mouthful of lime-laden alcohol and licked the salt from his upper lip. "Lupin. Teddy Lupin."

Pansy inhaled sharply. "Lupin," she breathed. "That's it! You are Professor Lupin's son! From Hogwarts!"

Teddy nodded. "Remus Lupin was my father. He died in the war just after I was born. Did you… know him?" He hated the hopeful way his voice lilted, as it always did when he mentioned his parents. It was stupid to be so desperate for any titbit of information about them, but for him it had always been that way.

She took a long drink and seemed to study him. Teddy could practically see the calculation behind her eyes. He wondered at it, but before he could ask, Connelly barked a laugh. "If he had a cock, she probably knew him."

Since Teddy was watching her closely, he saw her eyes narrow and flash with something that could only be anger. Her knuckles whitened around the glass she held for an instant and then she showed her teeth in what would pass for a smile to anyone that had not studied her every nuance for weeks the way Teddy had. He was almost astounded how quickly her mannerisms had come back to him.

"Conner, don't make me toss you out on your penniless arse. Your mummy will not take you back in after your last transgression, remember?" Pansy's voice had a teasing lilt, but there was steel beneath it.

Teddy's gaze shifted to Connelly, whose face tightened into a mask of petulance. Teddy felt a moment of distaste, wondering what on earth she saw in him. Connelly's mouth worked and Pansy turned a glare on him. Teddy felt like cheering; he had seen her stare down high-ranking wizards with that look. A panther-faced nobody had zero chance against it.

Teddy gulped the rest of his drink and stood up. "I should go," he said.

Pansy nodded. She rose and set her still-full glass on the table before walking him to the door. "Thanks for stopping by, Teddy. I'll bring your salt back, later."

Teddy forced a smile and then shot a look at Connelly, as if to ask, _Why him_?

She seemed to understand, and chuckled. "_Goodnight_, Teddy." The tone of dismissal was impossible to misread and Teddy quickly exited and walked back to his flat. Once inside, he leaned against the door and let his suppressed emotions wash over him. Merlin, how could she think of him as anything but a child when she obviously preferred obnoxious, uncouth idiots? He sighed. It didn't change the fact that he wanted her.

~TBC~


	3. Chapter 3

Later that night, Teddy lay in bed thinking about Pansy and Panther-face. Were they in bed now, just on the other side of the wall? How long had they been together? Did she like kissing him? Did she like the way he touched her?

He sighed, annoyed with himself. Of course she liked it. Otherwise he wouldn't be living with her. He frowned at the thought. Was Con living with her? The apartment had seemed fully Pansy, with no hint of Con's occupation other than his presence on the couch and his shoes next to the front door.

Maybe Con was just a fling and she would tire of him quickly. Then Teddy could… what? Did he really want a relationship with a woman so much older than him? She was the same age as his godfather, wasn't she? How old had Harry been at his last birthday? Thirty-six? Thirty-seven? Merlin, in a few years she would be forty and people would talk; oh how they would talk.

Still, it didn't have to be a _relationship_. It could be a fling. Nothing serious. Pansy didn't seem the type to want serious, anyway. Of course, Teddy couldn't be certain about that, since he knew next to nothing about her, other than the things he had learned by observing her seven long years ago. For all he knew, she could be looking to marry Connelly Whoever.

His depressed musing was interrupted by a bang against the wall, followed by two more. He sat up, irritated. Fuck, they were at it again. Suddenly, the note she had given him came to mind.

_Do not knock on my bedroom wall and interrupt my sexual gratification again unless you are willing to take the place of my current paramour. _

Without stopping to think, Teddy turned around and pounded three times on the wall.

The silence was instantaneous. Teddy froze with his hand still upraised, wondering what the hell he had done. She had most likely been joking when she had given him the note. It had been a joke and now she was laughing with Panther-face, poking fun at their foolish neighbour who had been stupid enough to-

A loud knock sounded at Teddy's front door. He lowered his hand and turned, horrified. Shit, it was probably Panther-face Connelly, coming to punch his face in. Pansy might have thought it was a joke, but good old Con didn't seem to have an amused bone in his body, unless it involved watching someone writhing in pain.

Fuck. There was no help for it. Teddy pushed himself away from the bed and walked into the other room. He paused partway across the floor, and then steeled himself and strode to the door before jerking it open.

Pansy stood in the doorway, holding a bottle of wine and two glasses. "Finally," she said. "I thought you might be planning to stand me up."

She pushed past him and into the room, walking to the kitchen without pausing. Teddy shut the door and stared after her. Was she wearing a dressing gown? Was she wearing anything under it?

He dragged his eyes back to her face just as she turned around. He held them there instead of dropping them to her chest, although it took immense effort.

"Wine?" she asked.

Normally, Teddy would rather drink squid ink than wine, but he only nodded. He thought he might need some alcohol-induced courage shortly. "Where's um… Con?"

She extracted the cork with her wand and poured both glasses half-full. "I booted him out," she said. She set the bottle aside and brought Teddy a glass, holding the other in her hand.

"Booted?" Teddy repeated.

She nodded and smiled. "Right after you left, earlier. He was being a prick, as usual, but I'd finally had enough of it. And it's nice to know you're willing to take his place. You are, are you not? Willing?"

After he left? Then what was the banging on the wall…? Teddy realised he might have been set up, but her question derailed his ability to speak and he simply nodded again. She clinked her wineglass against his. "To willingness," she said.

"Yeah," he whispered and lifted the glass to his lips. He took a tiny sip of the harsh liquid and tried not to shudder as it slipped down his throat. He must not have been completely successful, because she laughed and took his glass.

"Come on. I should have known you were no wine drinker." She returned to the counter and set both glasses down before turning and taking his hand. He made no protest when she led him to the bedroom; his heart was pounding wildly.

She stopped next to his bed and turned around. Her hand left his and moved to his abdomen, where it splayed open, joined by the other. "Salazar, you have such a hot body, Teddy. Do you sleep in that t-shirt? You were obviously in bed when I knocked on your wall."

His head moved in an affirmative motion as he asked, "Why did you do that?"

Her fingers tugged at the hem of his shirt. "To give you an opportunity." She pulled the shirt upward, over his chest and shoulders and finally over his head. It fell to the floor when her hands went back to his abdomen, this time to press into his bare flesh. Teddy's knees felt weak. It was hard to believe all of his fantasies were about to become reality.

She loosened the drawstring on his pyjama bottoms and tugged them until they were loose enough to slide down over his hips and drop at his feet. He managed to step out of them without falling, which was a miracle, considering how unsteady he felt.

His hands wrapped around her waist, holding loosely so he wouldn't leave bruises. He felt a heady rush when he realised it was the first time he had ever touched her. She took his wrists in her hands and pulled them away. His disappointment lasted only a moment, until she loosened the belt at her waist and tugged open the dressing gown.

Godric, she wasn't wearing anything underneath. The silk gown rustled to the floor and Teddy was suddenly very glad he had left the lamp on. She was stunning. Her breasts were… bloody hell, he had pictured them a thousand times in his dreams, but this… They were perfect, melon-sized with pink peaks already standing at attention, begging for him to touch them. He did, lifting his hands reverently and touching them lightly, allowing his fingertips to brush over her nipples.

She made a tiny gasping sound and Teddy swallowed as he leaned forward and moved his hand away in order to take one into his mouth. He flicked it lightly with his tongue, feeling a frisson of heat at the contact. Merlin, he hadn't been hard a moment ago, but he certainly was now.

Pansy's fingers wrapped in his hair and for a moment he hoped to hell it was still brown. He hadn't lost control of his abilities in years, but this could definitely be considered extenuating circumstances.

He suckled and laved at her breasts and then kissed a path downward, sinking slowly to his knees while pressing wet kisses to her abdomen. His tongue dipped into her navel, flicking in and out in quick motions while he imagined it touching something else. His cock was so hard it hurt.

His hands were on her hips, gripping hard, although he tried to relax them. His concentration was shot.

She gasped. "Bed. Bed, Teddy."

He got to his feet, more than willing to comply, and let go as she moved away. She sprawled on the bed and wriggled until her head rested on his pillow. Teddy stared down at her for a moment, transfixed at the way her dark hair spread over the white fabric. Her body was a pale wonder atop his dark coverlet.

He shook off his stasis when she raised a beckoning hand and quickly shoved his pants down before climbing onto the bed.

She laughed. "Patience, darling. We have all night." She reached down and wrapped her hand around his cock before sliding it up and down the length. "Merlin, Teddy, if I'd known you were hiding _that_ in there, I would have pounced on you two days ago."

Teddy felt a flare of pride for a moment and then had to bite his lip to keep from coming when her hand twisted in a delicious way. "Ungh, keep doing that and the main event might be spoiled."

"I doubt that," she said and did it again.

Teddy growled. "Did anyone ever tell you you're wicked?"

"It's been mentioned," she said dryly.

Teddy pulled away from her grasp in order to move lower, grazing his lips over her skin once more, but not kissing, not when he had a goal in mind. His mouth touched the curls of dark hair that hid his destination. He tugged at a mouthful with his lips and she hissed.

"Brat," she said. "That stings."

He soothed it with a kiss and then moved to her legs, pressing kisses on her inner thighs in a path up to her knee and back again. Her pose was languid, but she said nothing. Teddy suspected she was enjoying herself, or she would surely comment. She made an impatient noise, so he relented, moving back to the centre and nuzzling her pubic hair once more.

Teddy began to tease in earnest, thanking Merlin for every encounter he'd had up to that point. Without them, he would have been hopeless. His lips fondled the soft edges of her labia, mouthing and tugging at them, earning soft gasps of pleasure. Teddy's hands rested on her thighs and his thumbs drew soft circles on her skin.

Her fingers found his hair again and tightened. He grinned and took it as a sign to stop procrastinating. With that, he plunged his tongue into her waiting entrance and then licked his way methodically up to her clit, flattening his tongue to cover the most area and earning a sharp cry when he reached her most sensitive spot.

"_Salazar, Teddy. _"

He repeated the movement over and over, reading the quivers of her body and the clenching of her fists in his hair as to whether or not he was doing it right. Judging from her inability to speak, he thought he was doing okay. He suckled at her clitoris and she threw her head back with a shriek, shuddering beneath his hands. Merlin, it was incredible, watching her come undone and knowing it was his doing.

"Teddy, you beautiful thing," she said and pulled him upward by his hair. "Fuck me now."

He obliged, casting a quick Protection Charm without the aid of a wand, and slid easily into her wet heat, losing himself in bliss for a moment. Her hands shifted from his hair to glide over his back and he started to move, feeling a thrill each time she raised her hips to meet his thrusts. He was glad he had seen to her needs first, because he knew he wouldn't last long. It was too much, the culmination of what seemed like years-had _been_ years-of suppressed desire.

As expected, it was quickly over and he spilled himself into her with a cry muffled against her throat. He collapsed atop her, not wanting to crush her, but not wanting to pull out and roll away, either. In this instance, he wasn't sure about the propriety. Would she want to leave him right away?

To his relief, she did not seem inclined to go anywhere. She continued to stroke his back as his heartbeat slowed its frantic pace and their breathing became more regular.

"Your father was a good teacher," she said finally, quietly. "I never admitted that to anyone, because in school I was a nasty little cow. After the war it took me quite some time to learn to think for myself, and even longer to live for myself, instead of hanging my foolish hopes on other people."

Teddy was quiet, hoping she would continue.

"Anyway, your father seemed like a good man. I mean, he must have been, to have been part of that anti-Dark Lord group, right? And he was in good with Potter and Dumbledore. All I know is that Draco and Blaise and I made fun of him for being poor, and yet he taught us all equally well." She was silent for a moment and added, "I learned a lot from him. Even if maybe the lessons didn't sink in for quite a few years."

Teddy kissed her neck again, feeling an odd tightness in his chest. A wave of tenderness welled through him, something that was not unfamiliar, but alarming all the same. Teddy had loved her once. He knew it would be stupid to fall back into that trap again.

And yet, he couldn't bring himself to let go of her. He cast a _Nox_ on the lamp, curled himself around her, and fell asleep.

~TBC~


	4. Chapter 4

Pansy was gone in the morning. When Teddy awoke, he thought he might have imagined it, except for the lingering scent of her perfume and the imprint of her head on the pillow next to his.

He lay where he was for a long time, replaying the night and wondering how awkward things would be between them. Would she pretend she didn't know him? Would she "boot him" the way she had done Panther-face Connelly?

Teddy sighed and decided not to worry about it while he readied himself for work. At the very least, he had an amazing memory to hold onto. How many people could say they had made love to the girl of their dreams?

He went to work and tried not to think too hard about Pansy. Thankfully, his job was hectic that day and left little time for daydreaming. He was exhausted when he finally got home-quite late-and started to shed his clothing. He had dropped his shirt onto the floor when three sharp raps sounded on his bedroom wall. He stared at the spot in surprise for a moment, wondering if he had dreamed it. Perhaps he was more tired than he'd thought.

Unwilling to take a chance that it hadn't been real, Teddy quickly walked next door and tapped lightly on Pansy's door. The portal swung open immediately to reveal Pansy wearing a diaphanous black bit of lace, high heels, and nothing else. Teddy's jaw fell open as she hooked her fingers into the waistband of his jeans and drew him inside before slamming the door behind him.

She shoved him back against the wood and before he could do more than make a questioning huff, Pansy was on her knees and taking his cock into her mouth. It had been half-hard from the mere sight of her and it only took a moment before he was fully engorged and trying not to thrust into her throat. Her nails dug lightly into his hips the time or two he forgot himself; he could have sworn the head of his cock was hitting the back of her throat without his assistance.

"Oh Merlin," he cried on the verge of orgasm.

Pansy released him and stood. She wrapped one hand around his quivering, wet length and smiled at him. "Not quite yet, Teddy. You can come when you're buried inside of me." With that, she leaned forward, kissed him possessively, and then led him by the cock into her room.

ooOoo

It went on like that for two weeks. For the first three days, Pansy had banged on his wall the moment he arrived home. On the fourth day, Teddy waited for her knock and finally made himself a drink, tried fruitlessly to read a book, and finally banged tentatively on the wall, wondering if she was even home.

To his relief, she came right over. "I thought you'd never get round to asking me," she said in a reproachful tone just before pushing him to the floor and lowering herself onto his cock. He was grateful for his new living room carpet; she later admitted she had seen it delivered and wanted to help him "break it in" properly.

After that, it became a nightly occurrence. One or the other of them would knock on the wall. Once, when Teddy had a day off, he had brazenly left her flat only to walk straight into his room and bang on the wall. She had been laughing when she arrived, lips still swollen from his "goodbye" kisses, and they had spent nearly the entire day in bed, leaving it only for bathroom breaks and twice to open the door for food delivery.

When Teddy wasn't with Pansy, he walked around in a blissful haze of sexual satiation. "What's with you?" Robin asked, giving him a nudge in the ribs. "You look like you could break into song at any moment. And your hair is pink."

Teddy grinned, unable to put his feelings into words.

Robin chuckled and sprinkled fresh parsley over the canapés. "A girl?"

"Yeah," Teddy admitted. "_The_ girl." The girl he had been dreaming of for what seemed forever. She was amazing. He sobered and chastised himself, realising he was falling back into his old mindset. He was falling in love with Pansy Parkinson all over again.

"Well, stop mooning, fix your hair, and get that frosting whipped. We've got to be at Watermeade Park in thirty minutes."

"I know," Teddy said and grinned before tossing a block of butter into a bowl. "You slicing the provolone?"

"I'm on it," said Robin and brandished his wand.

Twenty-seven minutes later, they were at Watermeade Park and Teddy found himself cornered by the mother of the bride-to-be.

"…of the guests are allergic to salmon, so we should definitely not serve-"

"Mrs Riordan," Teddy said gently, ignoring Robin, who was rolling his eyes over the woman's shoulder, "We have prepared salmon, lamb, and beef, as well as curried risotto for the vegetarian-minded. I think we are…" His voice trailed off as a familiar figure caught his attention, derailing his mind from all thoughts of business.

Merlin, what was she doing here? He tracked over the guest list, trying to remember whose wedding it was-there had been three weddings this week and Robin kept the schedules under control, since Teddy was in charge of the menus.

"…and I noticed spots on several of the glasses," Mrs Riordan said disparagingly with a light slap to Teddy's wrist. "Mr Lupin, are you listening to me?"

Teddy dragged his gaze from Pansy Parkinson, who gleamed like a jewel in tight-fitting robes of amethyst, and back to Mrs Riordan and her strident voice. "Yes, madam," he said, "The glasses. I will see to them at once."

With that, he escaped the woman, abandoning her to Robin's pained smile, and hurried away to de-spot the glasses. His path just happened to coincide with Pansy's and he tried to look surprised when he bumped into her.

She actually gasped when she saw him and she quickly took in his professional white catering robes with the tiny golden buttons. Her lips opened and then curved into a smile as she recovered her aplomb. "Why, Teddy! Are you working?"

He nodded. "I didn't know this was a Ministry event."

She wrinkled her pert nose. "It's not. My date is a friend of the groom's father and insisted on making an appearance. I'm only here for the free alcohol."

"Date?" Teddy managed to choke out, hoping his explosive flare of jealousy did not show itself in the single word.

She hummed noncommittally and turned to scan the growing crowd before pointing with her pinkie finger. "See that old goat over there? Wearing the robes that should have been burned thirty years ago?"

Teddy nodded, puzzled.

"He's my boss. I humour him by attending boring functions while pretending to be sleeping with him and he reciprocates by giving me a rise in salary and allowing me to do whatever I like." She turned back and smiled brilliantly at him. "So you are working for the caterer? You never told me what you did for a living."

You never asked, Teddy almost blurted, but he supposed they hadn't spent much time conversing, other than _yes, oh yes, and harder, faster_. And he certainly could not complain about that.

"Working for the caterer, yes," Teddy replied without bothering to mention he was the caterer. He had started the business two years ago and was just beginning to make a name for himself.

Pansy leaned close to read the logo on his left breast. "Quarter Moon Catering. Are they any good, then?"

Teddy smiled brilliantly. "Try the food and decide for yourself."

She nodded. "I will. The caterer I had lined up for the French Delegation Committee to discuss some sort of International treaty cancelled two days ago. If it's good, I might give the owner a call to take their place. What's his name?"

Teddy tripped on the lie for only a moment. "Robin Borgatti." He wasn't certain why he didn't speak the truth, but her assumption that he was only part of the serving staff stung a bit.

She sighed. "I am being summoned. I will see you later, yes, Teddy?" she asked in a purring tone.

"Definitely," he said and she blew him a kiss before walking back toward the burly man who glowered warningly at him.

"Dream on," Teddy muttered. "I'll be the one in her bed tonight." The thought cheered him as he hurried to polish the glasses to Mrs Riordan's satisfaction.

Teddy was busy most of the afternoon and well into the evening, but he kept an eye on his crush, paying particular attention to the people she spoke to. She was careful to stay close to her boss and touch his arm and lean toward him to whisper into his ear frequently enough to make onlookers believe they were together.

At several points during the evening, however, she mingled with the guests and spent extra time with several male guests. Teddy tried to maintain a firm grip on his jealousy-and his hair colour-and he wondered how long before Pansy tired of him and brought home a new man.

There was a lull after the wedding dinner while the dancing began. Teddy and Robin directed the staff and took care of the cleanup. Teddy convinced Robin to take out the wedding cake on behalf of Quarter Moon, even though it was usually Teddy's pride. Wedding cakes were his joy and he had spent hours decorating this one with silver and gold trees bedecked with fluttering birds in varied colours.

During the dancing and before the presentation of the cake, Teddy ducked into a tent that had been used earlier for the wedding party to prepare. Teddy Transfigured his catering robes into a formal outfit of royal blue. He altered his features into something softer and more ethereally handsome before turning his hair blond and his eyes a paler shade of blue.

With his appearance completely changed and unrecognisable, he walked out and went in search of Pansy, bumping into her near the dance floor in the company of her boss.

"Excuse me," Teddy said. His voice was deeper and completely different from normal, thanks to a handy spell his godfather had taught him. Pansy turned and looked at him and then her gaze turned predatory as she appraised him.

"Well, hello there," she said in a purring tone. "Have we met?"

"I would definitely remember meeting such a jewel," Teddy said smoothly and extended his hand. She immediately placed hers in his and he lifted it to place a kiss near her knuckles.

"I'm Pansy Parkinson," she said.

Teddy felt a moment of panic. "I'm James… Dela… ware," he fumbled, grabbing and discarding names from his varied relatives. "James Delaware."

"Pleased to meet you, James. My champagne glass seems to be empty and I notice you don't have one. Would you care to accompany me to the champagne fountain? Oh, shush, Martin, I'll be right back." She looped her arm through Teddy's.

Teddy escorted her to the large fountain near the tent entrance that spewed champagne into the air from assorted ports. He caught bubbly liquid into a glass and handed it to her.

"So are you with…?" Teddy jerked his head back toward her glowering boss.

She laughed. "For appearances only. He's my boss. Are you here… alone?"

"I arrived alone, but I hope I won't leave alone." Teddy nearly choked at the suave line and wondered when he had decided to channel a Latin lover from a Muggle television show.

Pansy sipped her champagne and her eyes glinted at him. "You're very direct. I appreciate that." She cocked her head and took in his appearance. "You remind me of someone."

Teddy stiffened, but forced himself to relax and raise a brow in question. He had intentionally mimicked the blond man he had seen her with years ago at Hogwarts. Had he made the likeness too close, even through the filter of his imperfect memory?

She smiled and shook her head with a smile. "You could almost be brothers. He would laugh at that, being an only child."

"He is your… lover?"

Pansy laughed, surprising Teddy, who had expected nearly anything but that. "No. Not him, not ever. He is my best friend and nothing more, even though I pursued him mercilessly throughout our school years. His interests lay elsewhere." As she spoke, Pansy's eyes drifted over the crowd, almost as if she were searching for someone. She took a drink of her champagne and then looked back at him brightly. "You are very easy to talk to, James, or perhaps I have simply had too much to drink."

"Perhaps we should go somewhere more private in order to… talk more?" Teddy suggested.

She smiled again, took another drink of champagne, and then sighed. "You are very attractive and seem very nice, but the truth is, I am seeing someone. And I think I will go look for him right now. It was lovely to meet you, James. Goodnight."

Teddy sighed as if crushed, but his heart leaped at her words. "Goodnight, Pansy," he said and watched as she moved away, peering over the heads of the guests, looking for someone.

_Looking for him. _

Teddy hurried back to the tent and quickly changed back into himself before reversing the spell on his clothing. He walked out just as the cheering erupted from the covered pavilion-Robin had presented the cake. Teddy made a note to buy him something nice the next time he was in Diagon Alley, not that Robin would allow him to forget the favour.

"There you are, Teddy!"

He looked up and smiled at Pansy as she walked toward him. His heart swelled at the sight of her, smug with the knowledge that she had rejected a veritable blond Adonis for him. "Hey!" he called, beaming at her as she approached.

She asked, "Do you think your boss would mind if you left? This party is winding down and…" She stepped closer and drew a finger down the front of his white shirt while peering up at him coquettishly through her lashes, "I thought you might want to escort me home."

"Yeah," Teddy said on a breath. "Yeah, I do. Can you, um… wait right here while I let Robin know?"

She nodded and Teddy rushed away to spew out an apology and a set of instructions to Robin, who rolled his eyes, but nodded and waved him away. "Go on," Robin said. "Hurry home and have sex while pitying those of us for whom there is no hope."

Teddy snorted. "Hey, the bridesmaids are getting pretty tipsy. You might get lucky!"

He dodged a Stinging Hex and hurried back to Pansy, who held out her hand for him to take. As soon as he did so, she Apparated them home.

~TBC~


	5. Chapter 5

Teddy woke up in Pansy's bed with her snuggled against his side and one leg flung over him. Her dark hair lay across his arm and one hand curled on his chest, relaxed with sleep. He turned his head to press a kiss into her hair and her hand twitched.

She stiffened for a moment and then relaxed with a long sigh. He would never get used to her ability to awaken in the space of an instant and wondered what had happened in her past to create that quality. He supposed he would never know.

"Teddy," she murmured.

He made a noncommittal noise, perfectly willing to go back to sleep.

"I want to go shopping."

Teddy's eyes snapped open. "Now?" He considered reaching for his wand to cast a Tempus Charm, but she chuckled.

"No, silly. Later. Come with me?"

He mentally ran through his list of things to do. A brunch at 11am and then a cocktail party with finger food that he could easily assign to underlings. "All right," he said and then snuggled closer with the hope of drifting back to sleep.

Pansy sat up to peer down at him. "Really? You'll come with me?"

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked. "Sounds like fun."

She chuckled and dropped her head back onto his chest. "You'll likely not say that when we're finished."

She was nearly right, Teddy discovered later. Pansy did not so much "shop" as mowed through stores like a tidal wave, snatching up items, discarding others, and utilising shop clerks-and Teddy-as pack animals. The only short-lived respite was while she tried on items, although she demanded Teddy lurk outside the fitting room so that she could emerge and model the items for his approval.

After he gave his enthusiastic endorsement to the nineteenth outfit, she frowned at him and smacked his arm. "You cannot like everything, Teddy. I am looking for honest feedback."

"I'm giving you honest feedback!" he protested. "It's not my fault everything looks good on you."

She pulled him into a bruising kiss that left him feeling slightly breathless. "You're so fucking adorable," she muttered and then turned away to vanish into the changing room once more. He grinned at the curtain in bemusement.

Thankfully, Pansy had the clerks send most of her purchases directly to her home rather than have Teddy carry them around, though there were a few items of jewellery that she deemed safer on his person than trusted to owl post.

She tried to buy a few items for him, but he refused to hear it, preferring not to listen to his internal voice calling him a rentboy should he accept. Pansy pouted, but relented in the face of his obstinacy.

They finally escaped the collectible gifts store, which Teddy had dubbed the "useless bric-a-brac store", and stumbled back into Diagon Alley.

"Look there!" Teddy said loudly, as though surprised. "A bookstore!"

"Oh pish, you know I don't read," she said.

"Come on, I said nothing whilst you sniffed one hundred and seventy five candles."

"I did not! There were no more than thirty!"

"Well, it seemed like hundreds. Besides, I'm sure I can find something you would enjoy reading."

"The words 'enjoy' and 'reading' do not belong in the same sentence." Despite her words, she looped her arm through Teddy's and allowed him to guide her toward Flourish and Blott's.

Teddy laughed and she smirked at him as they reached the door of the shop, which opened as Teddy reached for the handle.

"Teddy!" a man cried happily.

Teddy blinked at his godfather and then smiled widely. "Harry!"

Harry's eyes slid to Teddy's companion and his features froze before his brows drew down over his green eyes. "Parkinson," he said in a cold tone.

"Potter," she replied and stepped closer to Teddy, taking his hand as she pressed herself against his arm, and raising her chin in a defiant manner. Teddy glanced from one of them to another. It hadn't occurred to him that they might know each other. Their acquaintance did not seem to be friendly, either.

Harry switched his gaze back to Teddy. "How have you been? I haven't seen you since Christmas."

Teddy felt a bit guilty for not keeping in closer contact with Harry and his family, but despite the fact that he was always welcome, he never quite overcame the feeling of being an outsider among the Potter-Weasley clan.

"I've been fine. Busy, you know," Teddy said sheepishly.

Harry nodded. "I know. You've done very well with your catering business. We're all proud of you. I've heard it mentioned by several colleagues who plan to owl you for their events."

Teddy felt his hair begin to change colour as his cheeks reddened, so he clamped down on his self-control. "Thanks," he said.

Harry moved away from the door, finally seeming to sense Teddy's discomfort. "Well, then. Don't be such a stranger, all right?"

"I won't. I'll um… owl you, yeah?"

"Please do. We miss you, Teddy."

Teddy nodded and took the edge of the door, hoping to escape inside. Harry stared at Pansy for a moment, as if looking for answers in her expressionless face. At last he forced a smile. "Parkinson," he said by way of farewell.

"Potter," she said again and then swept into the bookshop ahead of Teddy, who threw Harry an apologetic look and hurried after her.

"So," she said when the door had shut safely behind them, "You and Potter are bosom buddies?"

"He's my godfather."

Pansy burst out laughing. "Oh, that's rich. I should have guessed."

"You don't like him."

She shrugged. "I may have tried to hand him over to the Dark Lord during the war."

Teddy stared at her, aghast. "You're joking?"

Her lips thinned, but she shook her head and looked away. "I was young. I just wanted the war to be over."

Teddy swallowed, feeling suddenly uncertain. For the first time since moving in next to her, he sensed an insurmountable chasm between them, built from experiences she had weathered that he could hardly imagine.

She cleared her throat. "I don't think I want to shop anymore, Teddy. I am going home."

"I'll come with you." His voice sounded slightly desperate, even to his own ears, and he winced.

She was silent for a long time and he thought she might refuse, but at last she nodded curtly. "All right." She held out her arm and Teddy took them back to her flat. Once there, she moved away from him immediately and strode to the kitchen where she opened and shut cabinets in what seemed to be growing agitation.

Finally, she slammed a cupboard door closed with a bang and then marched back to Teddy and leaned up to kiss him hungrily, twisting her hands almost painfully in his hair.

She broke the kiss and whispered, "Make love to me, Teddy." She took his hand and led him into the bedroom.

Teddy obliged, sensing that all was not well, but too terrified to ask. He undressed her slowly and carefully, fearing that it would be the last time. She pulled him down onto the bed before he could remove his own clothes. He tried to shuck his shirt while she kissed him and it finally fell away to catch on the edge of the bed. His hands immediately began to slide over her soft skin, committing every curve to memory.

"Teddy," she said quietly and lifted both hands to cup his face. "Lovely Teddy. I should send you away before I get too attached to you. Already you have been around longer than any of the others."

His eyes narrowed. "I don't want to hear about the others."

"Are you actually jealous?" she asked, lips quirking.

Teddy's hands clenched until he forced himself to relax in order not to bruise her. "Yes," he snapped. "Yes, I am jealous. I'm jealous of every man who ever looked at you. I want to kill them for touching you, okay? I've been bloody jealous of them since I was-" He broke off, realising he had said too much and probably sounded like the crazy stalker that he was.

Her dark eyes were wide. "Since you were what?"

Teddy sat up, unwilling to confess his ages-long crush. She levered herself up and wrapped her thighs around his waist, holding him in place. Her hands held his face once more. "Since you were what, Teddy?"

He rolled his eyes and sighed. "Remember when you were at Hogwarts for the fifteenth anniversary of the Battle?"

She frowned. "Well, yes, I arranged the entire affair for the Ministry, but…"

Teddy nodded. "I was there. You ordered me around like I was invisible."

Pansy gasped and then laughed. "Oh my! You were there! I remember you! I nearly ran you down on the stairs once and you couldn't take your eyes off of…" She let go of his face to cup her breasts and Teddy's eyes dropped to them.

He groaned, wanting to shove her back down onto the bed and suckle them just like he always did, regardless of their current familiarity. "Yeah. Just like now. You called me Tommy."

She was quiet, studying his face. "You wanted me all this time?"

Teddy nodded and looked away. "I tried to forget about you, which was easier when I didn't see you for years. But then I moved here. And now-" He clenched his fists on the bed. "Well, you probably think I'm an idiot for holding a torch for so long. And you think I'm crazy. I know you don't think of me as anything more than-"

"I don't appreciate being told what I think, Teddy," she said sharply.

He looked at her in surprise and then smiled. "No. You really don't, do you?"

"And you're wrong. I don't think you're an idiot. Quite possibly crazy, yes, and I doubt you have thought this thing through properly. Do you have any idea what your godfather and his fan club would think about the two of us?"

Teddy set his jaw and glared at her. "Yes. Yes, I have and I don't care."

She made a derisive sound. "You don't care?" She dropped her hands and would have pulled away, but he grabbed her shoulders. She asked angrily, "How long will that be true? Until the first time we appear together in public? Or at one of Potter's functions? They will never allow it."

"Of course they will allow it. I'm an adult! Harry's opinion is important to me, but not as important as doing something that makes me happy! Do you really think I would give you up just because people might disapprove?"

She rolled her eyes. "Harry Potter is not just people."

"He is to me." To Teddy's relief, her gaze seemed to soften. He plunged onward. "Look, I'm not asking you to marry me, but I would like something a bit more permanent than bang-on-the-wall shagging with the expectation that it will end whenever you get bored."

"I'm not the one in danger of getting bored," she replied tartly. "You are young and gorgeous and there are hundreds-"

Teddy cut her off, surprised. "You're not getting bored?"

She stared at him and then burst out laughing. "Honestly, how can you ask me that? You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You're eager and inventive and you put up with me when I'm being an utter bitch and you never bring up my past relationships like I'm some sort of five-Knut whore, and… You're really easy to talk to and you seem to care about me…" Her voice trailed away and she bit her lip. Teddy grasped her chin with one hand and lifted until her eyes met his.

"I do care about you," he insisted.

"No one cares about me," she whispered.

"I do," he repeated and kissed her.

She didn't respond for a moment or two, obviously trying to hold onto her ridiculous notions. He knew Harry and the others would come round as soon as they saw how blissfully happy Teddy was. He was certain of it. She finally melted against him and his hands curled around her to cup her firm arse.

"I like our bang-on-the-wall shagging," she said when they broke for air.

He chuckled against her lips. "Well, I never said _that_ needed to stop." He pushed her onto her back and pounced on her, fastening his lips to one nipple and then the other, laving them with his tongue. Her fingernails grazed down his back and then one hand gripped his cock, only slightly diminished by their argument.

She guided him into her wet heat, rocking her hips up to take him deeper, helped along by Teddy's hands still on her arse. He held tightly as he pulled out and thrust into her. It felt more intense than ever, spurred by Teddy's need to hold onto her.

Her fingers teased the crack of his arse and he remembered that she had spread him open and licked him there two days ago. The memory nearly had him coming right then.

"All right, Teddy. We'll try it your way." she said between panted breaths.

Teddy stopped moving to stare down at her. "We will?"

"Yes. I said it, didn't I? Even though it's completely crazy and your family and friends will detest me… I don't want to give you up. Everyone knows I'm a selfish bitch, so my friends will expect it, but-"

Teddy silenced her with a kiss that was half laugh. His heart felt like it was bursting. "Say it," he demanded.

"Say what? And why did you stop moving?" Her hand slapped onto his arse cheek lightly as if to spur him back to motion. He ignored it.

"Say 'I am your girlfriend, Teddy'."

"What? That's silly." She tried to sound severe, but amusement tinged her voice.

"Say it, or I will go straight back to my flat."

Her jaw set and he thought he might have gone too far. Slytherins did not handle threats with aplomb. "You are being very stubborn," she said.

"I'm serious."

To his relief, she relaxed. "You know, I think I rather like you being forceful and determined. It's pretty hot."

"Say it."

"Bloody hell, _fine_! _I am your girlfriend, Teddy_. Are you happy?"

He refrained from laughing aloud, barely, considering the massive flood of relief and joy that soared through him. "Yes, I am. And you know what else?"

She made a huffing sound of annoyance.

"I'm yours," he said softly.

Her arms rose to wrap around his waist and she squeezed tightly. "Romantic sap," she whispered. Her eyes closed, but not before Teddy caught a shimmer of wetness there.

He smiled and began to move again, taking extra care to bring her to the brink before shattering her control and leave her shuddering beneath him as he spilled into her. He barely held back words of love, knowing there would be time for that later, once she accepted the idea that he wasn't going anywhere.

Pansy smiled up at him through his haze of blissful aftermath and carded her fingers through his damp locks. She froze suddenly. "Is your hair _blue_?"

Teddy bit his lip and rolled away to sprawl beside her. "There is one more thing you should know about me. And I assure you," he grinned wickedly, "You won't get bored."

~END~

WOOT! Thanks for sticking with me and this story. I just love them even though the odds are stacked against them. I'll most likely revisit them one day. BUT YOU KNOW PANSY WILL NEVER LET HIM GO NOW. :D


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